The present invention relates in general to a new oil pan arrangement which reduces the relative movement between the engine block and the oil pan.
In a traditional oil pan arrangement for a vehicle, the oil pan is typically mounted on the engine block with an RTV layer situated in the joint between the oil pan and the engine block. The RTV layer functions to seal the joint between the oil pan and the engine block under all loading—mechanical, thermal, and dynamic loading. Therefore, the RTV layer further functions to maintain the seal between the oil pan and the engine block even where there is relative movement between the oil pan and the engine block—normal opening and lateral slip between the components due to differential thermal expansion/contraction or mechanical loads.
Bolts are typically spaced along the oil pan (proximate to the perimeter of the oil pan) in order to mount the oil pan to the engine block. However, despite the RTV layer and the use of bolts/nuts about the perimeter of the oil, a traditional oil pan still experiences movement relative to the engine block which further serves to strain the RTV layer seal between the oil pan and the engine block.
Accordingly, there is a need to reduce the relative movement between the oil pan and the engine block in order to reduce the mechanical strain on the RTV seal layer as well as to reduce the motion, vibration and noise in the vehicle.